Hip-Hop Legends: The G.O.A.T. Pt 3 - Eminem

Not since the days of Elvis Presley has a white artist brought African American culture into white homes. Eminem made hip-hop a staple for casual fans. His ability to play off any artist and elevate their tracks brought new artists into rotation for a lot of part-time fans. It was his early days of over-the-top antics that lured fans in the sense of realism related to his audience.

When it comes to the early days of his career, Eminem wasn’t the fan favorite he was at his peak. His first album, Infinite dropped with lackluster success. It wasn’t until he found his way to hip-hop legend, Dr. Dre, that his career spiked. The first album for the duo, The Slim Shady LP took Eminem to mainstream success. The hit single “My Name Is” was full of his in-your-face style that revived hip-hop in the post-Biggie & Tupac era. Hip-Hop just lost two legends and while the genre was growing on the strength of artists like Nas and Jay-Z, The Slim Shady LP caught the attention of more than just the die-hard hip-hop heads.

More Hip-Hop: Legends The G.O.A.T. Pt 2 – Nas

But it wasn’t just a white rapper having the talent to stand his own with the legends in the rap game. Eminem had this “what will he say next” about him that conveyed his IDGAF attitude that appealed to the masses furthered by songs like “The Way I Am”. He was a thorn in the side of anyone who crossed him, even if they weren’t hip-hop artists. Eminem took shots at artists like N’Snyc, Brittney Spears, Fred Durst and Limp Bizkit, and even the Insane Clown Posse. He wasn’t just aiming at nobodies in the industry, he was taking on people at the height of their careers and fans loved it.

So he was a pest and people love a pest, but it had to get old right? No. Eminem mastered the perfect balance of antics and reliability with his listeners. Going back to The Slim Shady LP, it was the antics of “My Name Is” that may have caught attention, but songs like “Rock Bottom” resonated with listeners who were going through their struggles as well. “Without Me” might highlight the shenanigans of Eminem, but “Stan” pushes the struggles of fame.

But if you want to take a hard look at Eminem’s status among the G.O.A.T.s you have to look at his features. The first track that blew Eminem up to even the casual fans was “Forgot About Dre” off Dre’s much anticipated 1999 hit 2001. Then in 2001, he cemented his place in hip-hop with another legend Jay-Z on the track “Renegade”. Those two tracks alone grabbed the attention of the hip-hop community. Eminem wasn’t just another gimmicky white rapper, he showed he can keep pace with two of the biggest names in the industry. From there, every single feature was like he was leveling up.

Eminem is one of the best-selling artists of all-time selling over 200 million, something no other rapper has done, yet. His blend of antics and reality keep his appeal so high. Even when the internet tries to “cancel Eminem” he drops a song about it, giving the middle finger to even his harshest of critics. Eminem feeds off criticism and turns it into a hit single and he’s not the one to start a beef with. Eminem is one of the legends of hip-hop with a style that won’t let you walk away. Just as you think he’s slowing down, he drops a diss track or a feature that shows why plenty will argue for Eminem as the G.O.A.T.